JENNR8R

I made this sample cathedral window to work out any problems before starting on a larger one. I'll probably put an embellishment in each intersection. My quandry is how to finish the edges.

There are too many layers of fabric to do a knife-edge binding. The edge is too thick with fabric layers to turn under, and I don't want to cut off the outer windows trying.

I hesitate to do a traditional double-fold binding because adding four more layers of fabric to the edges may be impossible to sew through. I don't think it would look good either.

Is there some sort of embroidery stitch that can be used to finish the edge? What type of thread/yarn would work best? What kind of needle? Could beads be added?

I'm glad that I made a sample. It's alot of work and fabric to make this pattern, and I'd be very frustrated if I couldn't figure out an attractive edge on a larger piece.

Jane Quilter

Its a beauty as is............... This girl put a binding on and it worked ok.......but yours i would leave plain or do a decorative blanket stitch around the edge.

PaperPrincess

Many cathedral windows quilts do not have any additional edge finishes. There's no backing or batting, and the edges are already enclosed. If you don't like the white thread accent on the print fabric, I would use invisible thread.

QuiltE

Incredibly well done!
The colours and fabrics are beautiful in it.

I like how you have it laying on top of another fabric (or is that batting?) ... as a border.
Perhaps try some different fabrics, and border it up.
Then you would have fewer labels and could do a knife edge border.

Sometimes a traditional binding just is so wrong ... and I agree with you in this case.
Let those Cathedral Windows show themselves off.

quiltsRfun

If you put on a binding it will cut off some of the design around the edges. I'd leave it without.

JENNR8R

This one has raw edges on the outer triangle shapes. It also has batting and backing. I need to bind this one.

Kitsie

As QuiltE noted, I also like the look with the light fabric behind it. It really sets up the windows. If you have any more of the "petals" fabric I would put the windows right onto a bigger piece and then stitch the edges down at the same place you have already edge stitched. Makes a border. Then you can bind that.

It's a beautiful piece and the colors are striking!

JENNR8R

The "light fabric behind it" is the batting. Unfortunately, I don't have any more large pieces of the window fabric, but I could use another fabric.

How would you "put the windows right onto a bigger piece..."? Applique with a satin stitch? Then I would have a single layer of fabric around the edges. How would you bind that?

PaperPrincess

Duh, if I had looked more closely at the photos, I would have noticed. I remember seeing a sort of scalloped binding on a quilt. The edge of the quilt was straight, the binding was cut on the bias, and every few inches the binding was gathered a bit so that the binding itself was scalloped. I just spent some time on google trying to find either a photo or the tutorial but was not successful. I'll continue to look as now it's bugging me. Maybe I saw it in a book. Anyway I hope my poor explanation gets the idea across maybe something like that may work.

JENNR8R

I saw that scalloped binding too, and I bought the book, The Devil is in the Details by Bethanne Nemesh that explains her method. Unfortunately, it was put on a knife edge. I'd have to turn the edge under in order to use it. There is too much fabric on the edge to do that. Bummer...

Thanks for brainstorming with me!